Comfort fit life jacket

ABSTRACT

A life jacket that includes: a shirt portion; a buoyancy pad at the shoulder level of the shirt portion; at least one back buoyancy pad on a back surface of the shirt portion; and sleeves extending from the shirt portion. The buoyancy pad preferably extends across the shoulders of the shirt portion and extends over an upper back of the back surface. The least one back buoyancy pad abuts the buoyancy pad on the back surface and extends downwardly there from. In one particular embodiment, the least one back buoyancy pad includes two buoyancy pads positioned adjacent to each other and the shirt portion includes long sleeves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a life jacket in the form of a shirt with comfort fitting padding.

Description of Related Art

Life jackets are used to provide protection and buoyancy when participating in various types of water sports and boating. Life jackets are very important if a person were to become injured while participating in water sports, therefore providing the necessary buoyancy to prevent drowning. One drawback to the standard life jacket is that movement while wearing a life jacket may be restricted and make it difficult to engage in the various activities while wearing the life jacket. As a result many users avoid using life jackets and therefore increase their risk of drowning due to their failure to use proper safety devices. It would therefore be advantageous to have a life jacket that was less restrictive in terms of movement and mobility but provided adequate buoyancy to avoid drowning. Further such a life jacket could encourage use of the life jacket as opposed to avoidance of the life jacket during these activities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a life jacket that includes: a shirt portion; a buoyancy pad at the shoulder level of the shirt portion; at least one back buoyancy pad on a back surface of the shirt portion; and sleeves extending from the shirt portion. The buoyancy pad preferably extends across the shoulders of the shirt portion and extends over an upper back of the back surface. The least one back buoyancy pad abuts the buoyancy pad on the back surface and extends downwardly there from. In one particular embodiment, the least one back buoyancy pad includes two buoyancy pads positioned adjacent to each other and the shirt portion includes long sleeves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of a comfort fit life jacket according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a back side or rear view of the comfort fit life jacket according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a comfort fit life jacket for use as an alternative to the standard life jacket. The comfort fit life jacket according to the present invention is in the form of a Lycra shirt with foam padding integrated into the back side and below the neck leaving the front of the shirt open without any straps or other encumbering devices. The shirt preferably is tight fitting and therefore the padding doesn't interfere with the neck or breathing areas of the user. The padding is integrated within the material of the shirt and therefore there is no necessity for any straps or attachment devices as normally used with a typical life jacket.

In reference to FIG. 1, a front view of a comfort fit Life Jacket 100 according to the present invention is depicted. On this front view the Life Jacket 100 includes a shirt portion 30 that covers the front torso of the user. Further sleeves extend from the shirt portion 30, sleeves 32 a, 32 b. At the shoulder level, a buoyancy pad 20 is integrated within the shirt portion 30. This buoyancy pad 20 provides buoyancy as needed as with any life jacket.

FIG. 2 depicts a back side or rear view of the comfort fit Life Jacket 100. As shown the entire, back side is covered with buoyancy padding therefore providing the necessary buoyancy for use as a life saving device. Pad 20 extends across the back of the shoulders up across the upper back of the shirt portion 30. Below pad 20 are further back pads 22, 24 that extends along the length of the back to the lower portion of the shirt portion 30. This Life Jacket 100 is worn as a shirt and therefore provides easy movement and manipulation of a user's arms while within the Life Jacket 100. Both arms 32 a, 32 b are free of any padding and due to the material design of Lycra a user can easily use their arms as needed for any kayaking, paddle boarding or other similar water sports. The instant invention has been shown and described in what it considers to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made there from within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 

1. A life jacket comprising: a. a shirt portion, where in the shirt portion includes long sleeves and is adapted for a tight fit over a torso and arms of a user; b. a shoulder buoyancy pad at a shoulder level of the shirt portion, wherein the shoulder buoyancy pad extends rearward over an upper back of a back surface of the shirt portion, further the shoulder buoyancy pad leaves a front neck portion of the shirt portion exposed; c. at least one back buoyancy pad on the back surface of the shirt portion, wherein the least one back buoyancy pad abuts the shoulder buoyancy pad on the back surface and extends downwardly there from; and d. sleeves extending from the shirt portion.
 2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. The life jacket according to claim 1, wherein the least one back buoyancy pad includes two buoyancy pads positioned adjacent to each other.
 5. (canceled)
 6. The life jacket according to claim 1, wherein the shirt portion is made of an elastic polyurethane fiber to provide the tight fit.
 7. The life jacket according to claim 1, wherein the elastic polyurethane fiber is Lycra®. 